By Carol Wyatt
CHIPLEY – The 2021 installment of the Spanish Trail Opry transported a nearly fully-packed house to a simpler time, Saturday, April 10, at the Spanish Trail Playhouse. The Grand Ole Opry-style show harkened back to a golden age of bluegrass and country music, classic comedy, and pure lyricism.
Guest artist, the Grammy nominated Clint Daniels, took the stage, playing several of the well-known chart-topping songs the Bay County native has written for musical artists such as George Strait, Joe Nichols, Eric Church, and Montgomery Gentry. Daniels was joined on stage by his son, Lawson, who shares his fatherÂ’s affinity for playing music.
Also performing were Sonny and Linda Morris, Jenny Hammond, Larry Grainger, Sven Davis, Mil Cox, Kevin Russell, PJ Pettijohn, Ben Batchelor, Doug Salter, Jon Webb, and Jimmy Miller, who also directed the show.
Emory Wells emceed the opry, peppering the show with his crowd-pleasing one-liners and commercial parodies, often bantering with Sonny Morris between performances. Mil Cox gave a comedic Minnie Pearl-esque stand-up routine, complete with the classic hat and hanging price tag, and STP President Kevin Russell channeled the iconic Little Jimmy Dickens, right down to the rhinestone-studded suit and humorous stage antics.
The Spanish Trail Opry made its debut in 2016 to a sold-out crowd.
KINSLEY COOK 
Staff Report